Forage Species

Naturalized grasslands contain many plant species all more or less adapted to the
local environment. Each species in a pasture or field has a set of environment
conditions that it is best adapted to. Environmental conditions include: sunlight
intensity and day-length, daily maximum and minimum temperature, rainfall, soil
drainage and rooting depth, soil pH and fertility, and defoliation frequency and
intensity. Weather and management of the site will determine which plant species
dominate the stand in a given year and over time. Knowing the major plant species
in a grassland enables the manager to properly manage that grassland for pasture
or hay.

The following fact sheets and web links provide an introduction for identifying the
major plant species that grow in pastures and hay fields in West Virginia.